Doctors claim A&E closures cuts-driven

A group of 140 doctors wrote in an open letter to Mr Cameron that they were yet to see evidence that plans to centralise and downgrade A&E services being forced through across England were beneficial to patients rather than part of "an indiscriminate cuts policy."

The signatories, who include eminent physicians, academics and surgeons, said that slashing "huge numbers of A&E departments" without increasing resources for ambulance services, hospitals and GPs to take the strain would "place the lives of some of the most vulnerable members of society at risk."

In addition, people from deprived areas will face longer journey times to hospital, people in rural areas face longer waiting times for ambulances and crowded A&E departments when they get there, they warned.

The lobby of experts went on to say that many local people feel they had not been adequately informed about the extent of the reforms.

They urged that no further change takes place without a full independent consultation.

Health Emergency spokesman Geoff Martin said: "This nails the lie that the massacre of A&E services has got anything to do with improving patient care.

"The fact is these cash-led cuts are putting thousands of lives at risk and the medical profession is now making that point crystal clear."